Profound and True, Daily Wisdom to Live By…
January 19th, 2017 // 6:10 am @ Scott Manning
I found this expression many years ago and I’ve most certainly shared it with you before – it’s a great time to be reminded right now – in January.
I found it on one of those little calendars that you pull a sheet off each day… I immediately folded it up and placed it in my money clip.
It says,
“A Man who dares to waste one hour of time has not discovered the value of life.”
By none other than Charles Darwin.
Now, here’s the big catch with that saying…
The owner of the hour determines what “waste” is. Now our tendency would be to think “work” but that doesn’t need to be the case. Really, whatever you determine to be the highest priority in your life, the items that you assign significance to.
Then based on what those are for any specific period of time, determines whether or not you are “wasting” time. And for a person who consumes time in a manner of waste, obviously must not value the life that they are living.
I mean, after all, it is the most perishable thing we consume.
So, this saying struck me, because it’s critical to remember that once a day has passed, you can’t get it back. Your life is the sum of all that you make it.
Now…enough lecture, but heed the advice of Darwin…value life, do not waste it.
Okay, so I’m supposed to talk to you about business principles. Well doesn’t the same apply. In fact, even more so. It applies so much so that you need to realize your business and results thereof are tied directly to the “adding up of the value of your time”.
It’s a formula. If you waste time and opportunity in your business, you get lousy results. That is why the most important thing I ever do with clients is to assess (or reassess) their priorities and make sure they are investing time, energy, research, development, money towards their highest priorities so that their “business formula” adds up to what they want.
I’m going to cut to the chase on this and just tell you what your priorities need to be in order for you to not “waste” time and value the life you have as an entrepreneur.
First –
You should always focus and designed your life the way you want it to be and then build a business to support it. You should serve your interests first. Never at the expense of your customers, patients or clients but in conjunction with how you set up your life and business.
Second –
You should always remember that you are in the business of two things: one, getting new customers/patients and two, taking care of the customers/patients you have.
And number three –
You should look at your life and business as your own universe. Make it the thing you are obsessed over keeping in balance, taking care of those in it and make sure you are congruent with your time and life allowing you to enjoy those things that you most want to have and experience.
Yes, you determine what “waste” is to you, and your behavior, focus and commitment to doing well in your business is what will give you the liberty and the power to make sure you can dedicate as much time to “not wasting” and to increasing the value of your life as you see it. Not as someone else assigns to it, but what you want.
Yes, at the end of the day, just like the constitution of the United States, life is about what YOU want, just as long as it’s not at the expense or detriment of anyone else.
I hope you take time to let that quote soak in and really be your guiding light to how you live day to day. No waste. Value life. It’s yours to do with what you will.
Category : Blog
